The time has come when you don’t have to be a Hollywood celebrity or a sport’s star to have a personal trainer. A health advisor and lifestyle coach can help anyone, regardless of your physical condition, your goals and your age. It really is never too late! As having a personal trainer can be a huge deal to most people, it is important to understand the benefits and considerations before jumping in!
The first thing you need to decide before inquiring about a personal trainer is what goals you would like to achieve. Do you simply want to tone up? Bulk up like hulk? Recover from an injury or want to improve your athletic performance?
A good personal trainer should be able to apply a program to any type of goal and be flexible to your needs and personality. A trainer should be a coach, role model, educator and cheerleader who will customize a program to fit your health needs and time-schedule.
The next step is to establish how much time and money you would like to spend on your health. Also question your own motivation when it comes to getting your butt in gear. Do you want to use training services several times a week to stay monitored and keep your momentum? Or do you want a trainer that you meet occasionally to check in with your program and your progress?
Once you have decided to go forth and get a lifestyle coach, get ready with a list of considerations and questions that need to be answered before working out:
- Does the personal trainer have certification in personal training by a recognized organization?
- What is the trainer’s experience and can they provide testimonials and references from former or current clients?
- Is the trainer familiar with your injuries, health problems and your medical history?
- Are they able to educate you and improve your condition though proper fitness and nutrition counseling?
- What are the trainer’s fees? Are there package deals? Special offers?
- Does the personal trainer have time for your schedule?
- Do you like the trainer? Are you comfortable and confident in their skills and expertise?
- Do you need to check in with your doctor before going ahead with a fitness program?
Once you have met with your trainer and have established the ground rules, make sure that the trainer completes a full health assessment to set a benchmark for your success. Your personal lifestyle coach should be able to fill these tasks for you:
-Assess you on your health and fitness condition and be able to set a program for your needs
- Be able to do a fitness evaluation through a series of practical tests (e.g. Flexibility, strength, endurance, body fat percentage)
- Be able to educate you on any health matters, latest trends in fitness, proper technique and execution of exercise.
- Be able to give you advice on nutrition and lifestyle choices
- Be able to motivate and inspire you
- Be able to give you a personalized exercise program
- Be able to engage in supervised exercise and one-on-one attention
- Be able to explain health concepts and help you to understand your body and how it functions
- Be able to set health goals and help you achieve them
The benefits of having your own trainer are endless. Having your own motivator to good health can dramatically improve your appearance, decrease the chances of premature death and increase your motivation and joy in all areas of your life. Yeah, it might cost you a bit more than a normal gym membership but if you have no clue what you are doing and you don’t go most of the time…why not? Spending time and money on your own health is probably the best long-term investment.
Please check out my new website at www.theartofbody.com
For Questions/Advise and interest in personal training: ns@theartofbody.com / 08123 89 09 99
